A dream of capturing one of the world’s greatest icons, Nelson Mandela, on film has turned into a vision to influence the future of our youth. That vision is 21 Icons. We at Mercedes-Benz South Africa are proud to be a part of this great project, which aligns perfectly with our view of inspirational leadership: teaching our country’s youth to discover their own potential. 21 Icons inspires and mobilises young South Africans to follow the example of those individuals who, through their courage, heart and determination, have shaped the world in which we live and become the icons of our time. And that is why we have entered into this partnership – because we believe that leaders are not necessarily born to greatness, but that talent can be sparked to develop future leaders, innovators, thinkers and doers.
“The rainbow nation stands as an example to the world of the transformation that can be achieved through a spirit of respect and forgiveness, based on qualities such as courage and inspirational leadership, coupled with the power of passion and conviction. The 21 Icons project reminds the nation of this amazing feat. The lessons that can be learned from the inspirational stories of these icons have the potential to become the cornerstone that drives renewed nation building, and the emergence of tomorrow’s leaders. It is imperative for these stories of success to be shared with a younger generation, so that they may be inspired to similar success. This is a key reason why MBSA is proud to be a sponsor of the 21 Icons project.”

Dr Martin Zimmermann, President and CEO, Mercedes-Benz South Africa
www.mercedes-benz.co.za